Kathmandu— Former US President Donald Trump has demanded that Iran provide financial compensation to Americans and others impacted by actions attributed to Tehran and its allies, citing deaths and injuries in regional conflicts. This response follows a statement from Iranian officials calling on the United States to pay reparations for damages incurred during what they describe as a joint US-Israeli military campaign against Iran beginning February 28th. Iran has linked such payments to conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, including troop withdrawals, sanctions relief, and the release of frozen assets.

Escalating Demands for Compensation

Trump announced his demand on social media, stating that while compensation hadn’t been previously discussed in negotiations, he had directed US representatives to include it in future talks. He specifically called for payments covering American troops killed in regional conflicts, families of Iranian protesters, and individuals affected by wars in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Gaza. “I am likewise demanding compensation from Iran, for all of the people that they have killed and gravely wounded with their roadside bombs and many conflicts,” he wrote on Truth Social.

Historical Grievances Cited

Trump referenced the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole in Yemen, which resulted in the deaths of 17 US sailors. While Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for the attack, a 2015 US federal court ruling also found Iran liable. The former president’s statement detailed further losses sustained by the US military during the conflict, estimating 18 service members killed and around 500 injured, as well as the loss of aircraft including fighter jets, helicopters, drones, and refueling planes.

Iranian Claims of Civilian Impact

According to reports from Iran, more than 3,300 people were killed in US-Israeli strikes, with nearly half being civilians. The Iranian Red Crescent estimates over 125,000 civilian buildings were damaged or destroyed, including approximately 100,100 homes and hundreds of schools and medical facilities. Over 200 children were reported among the casualties, including more than 120 girls killed in a strike on an elementary school in Minab. Dozens of Iranian political and military leaders, including its longtime supreme leader Ali Khamenei, were also reportedly killed in targeted strikes.

The exchange represents a further escalation of tensions between the United States and Iran, with both sides now formally demanding financial reparations for perceived damages and casualties resulting from past conflicts.

(With inputs from RT)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.